Sunday, April 5, 2009
In response to Jean's comment about pay secrecy...
The current public debates we are now having about CEO pay is an example of the problem (at least in part) that stems from pay secrecy. Most people (inside or outside the organization) don’t know what CEO’s “earn.” Secrecy (real or perceived) frustrates employees and because it is secret, they cannot address it. That’s not good for workers or the organization. Secrecy leads to suspicion. Sometimes the suspicion is warranted – because a worker may not be entitled to his/her salary. Or, it may involve discriminatory practices by the organization. This certainly has been the case in the past regarding salaries between men and women. But once the secrets are out, the system has a chance to adjust itself. People can openly discuss and negotiate salaries – and things can become fairer as a result. I think that’s better for everyone. I think that minimally pay should be open to those within the organization – at all levels.
In response to Eythoxia's post...
Eythoxia,
You (and the Equinox) raise an important issue regarding student life at KSC. It can lead to a student retention problem for the campus. As you noted, there are many reasons for students not graduating “on time.” One that wasn’t mentioned in the article (although I believe you did) is the pressure students feel when they also are working. Role conflict is something that all workers face at some time or another: a worker becomes a new parent, a worker must care for an aging parent or spouse, a worker needs to take on an extra job to make ends meet, a worker takes classes at night in order to get promoted or change careers. In recessionary times like ours, labor has less power at the negotiating table and employers can demand schedules that don’t conform to our “other” lives and needs. This can have real and serious consequences for both individuals and organizations. In class we’ve been discussing alternatives at the workplace to accommodate the needs of workers (e.g., variable work schedules, flexible work schedules, job sharing, telecommuting, etc.). We’ve also mentioned that sometimes this turns out to be a win-win situation for both employer and employee. Can you think of alternative arrangements that might help with your situation? Has it worked out for you?
krj
You (and the Equinox) raise an important issue regarding student life at KSC. It can lead to a student retention problem for the campus. As you noted, there are many reasons for students not graduating “on time.” One that wasn’t mentioned in the article (although I believe you did) is the pressure students feel when they also are working. Role conflict is something that all workers face at some time or another: a worker becomes a new parent, a worker must care for an aging parent or spouse, a worker needs to take on an extra job to make ends meet, a worker takes classes at night in order to get promoted or change careers. In recessionary times like ours, labor has less power at the negotiating table and employers can demand schedules that don’t conform to our “other” lives and needs. This can have real and serious consequences for both individuals and organizations. In class we’ve been discussing alternatives at the workplace to accommodate the needs of workers (e.g., variable work schedules, flexible work schedules, job sharing, telecommuting, etc.). We’ve also mentioned that sometimes this turns out to be a win-win situation for both employer and employee. Can you think of alternative arrangements that might help with your situation? Has it worked out for you?
krj
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